Motoring Writer

The Australian motor show will be making a comeback, but not as we know it.

Melbourne will host the first of a new generation in motor shows from 2015.

The new-look event comes after the death of traditional motor shows in Australia, which have been cancelled in Sydney and Melbourne due to a lack of manufacturer support.

Details surrounding the new event are scarce, though it is likely to feature a combination of high-speed displays and hands-on activities to woo showgoers.

Conventional motor shows in exhibition centres have fallen out of favour with car companies looking to give customers a first-hand experience with new cars.

Advertisement

A spokesman for the VACC says it is examining Sandown Raceway and the Melbourne Showgrounds as possible locations for the show, which would include exhibitions and demonstrations from car and motorcycle manufacturers as well as motoring clubs.

Ford gave customers a chance to get behind the wheel at the last Sydney motor show in 2012, allowing people to test drive the latest Ford Focus, Ranger and Kuga in a low-speed obstacle course.

The Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce and Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, joint organising bodies that arranged Australia’s Melbourne and Sydney motor shows, split on Tuesday and put a final nail in the coffin of the annual auto expo alternating between Sydney and Melbourne.

Festival showgoers will also chance to ride or drive in new vehicles from several manufacturers including Holden, Subaru and Jaguar.

New South Wales enthusiasts also have the Ferrari Racing Days in April, showcasing the most famous name in motoring.

Sydney motor show organisers have previously indicated they are working on plans to revive the show here, but attempts to contact them today for an update have been unsuccessful.

24 comments so far

I really like the idea of combining the Car and Motorbike expo’s into one large, outdoor and interactive venue. It will definitely bring a lot more people.

Including clubs is also a great idea, it will help to get people enthusiastic about certain vehicles. If I was interested in getting into a certain type of racing it makes perfect sense to have the clubs at the same venue as the manufacturers selling the vehicles.

Commenter

Spoony

Location

Date and time

February 26, 2014, 11:54AM

Yep just what a new car retailer wants is a whole heap of bikes, hot rods and 'collectibles' owned by housing trust bogans sitting along side rare or daily drive imports. Other bogans will come to check out Dazza's sick 180 turbo drifter and then get shirty because their chocolate ice cream covered baby bonus in a full nappy isn't allowed to smear its runny nose against a $300k sports convertible.

Commenter

Grumpy ex Cop

Location

Date and time

February 26, 2014, 4:37PM

And what will an AUSTRALIAN Car show display in 2015? Heaps of IMPORTED cars and nothing else. No Commodore concepts, no Falcon forecasts, just last year's Euro and Jap trash that will be dumped on us because it didn't sell at home.

Not quite entirely true 'Just an observation' as lately those types of individuals in their misguided patriotism now place these very same logos and decals with those exact words or its alternate forms on the following imported vehicles which include but are not limited to:- Toyota Hilux- Ford Focus- Subaru Impreza WRX- Mazda 2- Hyundal Excel

All made overseas, so your view of exclusively placing such material on the back of a Holden Commodore Ute is getting outdated.

With the imminent demise of the local car industry there isn't much point hosting an Australian motor show anyway.

Commenter

Suburban Aussie Guy

Location

Date and time

February 26, 2014, 2:01PM

Suburban - I'm sure you mean the demise of the local car *manufacturing* industry. Those involved in importing, retailing, marketing, repairing and manufacturing parts for cars would probably still have some interest in the motor show as a concept.

Commenter

r32gojirra

Location

Date and time

February 26, 2014, 2:25PM

You mean you want be able to see which corvette engine Holden is borrowing from GM in the US to power its latest flagship commodore? Reality is its a long time since an "Australian" car show would have been anything other than a collection of handed down technologies from far more accomplished manufacturers. Next you'll want an "Australian" air show.

Commenter

benrebo

Location

Date and time

February 26, 2014, 2:31PM

Yeah, because only domestic manufaturers show up to Auto Shows in their own countries...

Commenter

RA22

Location

Date and time

February 26, 2014, 2:52PM

In the future the Australian car industry or motor show with only imported vehicles is an irony right there unless you add the "International" tag like they do in Dubai.

In fact it might as well be named the Button motor show after the very same plan which started the rot of the Australian car industry through lowering of protectionism and more recently the high Australian dollar.

Commenter

Suburban Aussie Guy

Location

Date and time

February 26, 2014, 3:55PM

@Suburban Aussie Guy

Too bloody right.

Death of industry, brought to you by the ALP, via Button and Keating, and completed by Howard and Costello. Final nails driven by Julia and Tony.

No guts. No glory.

The sad part is that our automotive industries are supposedly to compete on a no tariff basis with imports that are subsidised to the hilt.